| TRENTON – Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman announced that a New Jersey man has pleaded guilty to a human trafficking charge. A joint state and federal investigation revealed that he was operating a prostitution ring from his apartment in Ventnor in which he prostituted young men, including at least one minor, to male clients. A client of the ring also has pleaded guilty.
Marc A. Branch, 40, of Ventnor, pleaded guilty yesterday to a charge of second-degree conspiracy to commit human trafficking before Superior Court Judge Kyran Connor in Atlantic County. Under the plea agreement, the state will recommend that Branch be sentenced to five years in state prison.
Branch was indicted on Oct. 31, 2013 as the result of an investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice Human Trafficking Unit and the FBI Human Trafficking Task Force in Atlantic City. The joint investigation revealed that Branch lured troubled young males to his apartment on North Newport Avenue by offering them money, drugs, companionship and, in some cases, shelter. He prostituted those young men, including at least one minor, to male clients who paid as much as $200 per sex act. Branch solicited male clients in advertisements on Craigslist featuring naked photos of the young men. In pleading guilty, Branch admitted that he conspired with another man to blackmail one young man into continuing to work for him as a prostitute by threatening to expose to the victim’s family that he had relapsed into heroin use.
Francis H. Forvour, 48, of Maple Shade, a client of the ring, also pleaded guilty yesterday to second-degree conspiracy to commit human trafficking. The state will recommend that he be sentenced to four years in state prison. In pleading guilty, Forvour admitted that he paid Branch to engage in sex with young male prostitutes and agreed to aid Branch with his prostitution ring by providing financial support. He admitted that he knew at least one young man was being blackmailed to prostitute himself.
Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Barile took the guilty pleas for the Division of Criminal Justice Human Trafficking Unit. Judge Connor scheduled sentencing for Branch and Forvour for December 12.
“Branch preyed on vulnerable young men, bringing them under his control through various devious and dangerous methods, including coercion, drugs and preying upon of their lack of social and financial support,” said Acting Attorney General Hoffman. “Once under his sway, he ruthlessly prostituted them for his own enrichment. Thankfully, we’ve put him in a place where he can do no further harm.”
“Though our statewide human trafficking task force, we have trained law enforcement officers across New Jersey to identify and investigate human trafficking, and we will continue to work with our federal partners, including the FBI, to bring these cases,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “We’re going to make certain that predators like Branch are put behind bars.”
The investigation was conducted for the Division of Criminal Justice by Detective Naike Kudlik, Sgt. Keith Stopko, Detective Eric Barnes, Detective Brian Christensen, Lt. Lisa Shea, Sgt. Noelle Holl, Detective Christine Sullivan and Detective Atem Ako of the Human Trafficking Unit, under the supervision of Deputy Chief of Detectives Christopher Donohue and former Deputy Chief of Detectives Alex M. Adkins. Detective Scott Caponi and Lt. Ritchie King of the Division of Criminal Justice also assisted. Special Agent Dan Garrabrant, head of the FBI Human Trafficking Task Force in Atlantic City, led the investigation for the FBI. The Atlantic County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey Human Services Police, Ventnor Police Department, Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Medford Police and Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office assisted.
Branch was initially arrested in this case on Oct. 19, 2012 and was jailed with bail set at $250,000. He subsequently served a state prison sentence in an unrelated case for possession of drugs. Forvour was initially arrested on Dec. 21, 2012.
The Division of Criminal Justice maintains a 24-hour NJ Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-855-END-NJ-HT (1-855-363-6548). In addition, the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force in New Jersey works closely with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children in Washington, D.C., which maintains a national, toll-free tipline: 1-800-THE-LOST, or 1-800-843-5678. #### |
